Industry News

// Legislation & Regulations

Rhode Island C&D Recycling Facility Closes
TLA Pond View, a C&D recycling facility based in East Providence, R.I., reportedly has shut its doors after being unable to meet a court-ordered Sept. 24 deadline to remove construction and demolition debris, according to the Providence Journal.

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management says the company didn’t have the resources to deal with the construction debris it had accumulated. The facility, which had been in operation for 14 years had battled complaints from neighbors over noise, dust and other problems over the years. The facility had undergone weekly inspections from environmental agencies and deadlines were set for removing material.

The company reportedly had 15 employees on Sept. 11 when a Superior Court Judge gave permission to shut down the facility. The site is expected to be cleaned up and have its remaining assets sold off.

// Personnel Activity

Recycling Today Media Group’s Taylor to Relocate to Hong Kong
The Recycling Today Media Group, publisher of Construction & Demolition Recycling (C&DR) magazine, announces that Associate Publisher and Editorial Director Brian Taylor will be relocating to Hong Kong, one of the Pacific Rim’s major trading centers. Taylor will continue to play an active role in the planning and editorial direction of the Recycling Today Media Group’s print and electronic products as well as its conferences and events. He will focus on Recycling Today, Recycling Today Global Edition, the media group’s portfolio of international conferences and other international opportunities.

Taylor will remain engaged in reporting, writing and strategic planning for the group and also stay active in North American and European markets through regular visits and interaction with the group’s readers and customers.

Among the new opportunities presented by Taylor’s relocation to Hong Kong, says Recycling Today Media Group Publisher James R. Keefe, will be the chance to be more deeply engaged in the markets that have played a large role in driving the global growth in demand for scrap metals, paper and plastics.

Taylor says he also anticipates more interaction with consumers, traders, processors and trade groups. “The decisions made and trends established in Asia now increasingly affect recyclers everywhere else in the world,” he comments. “Having an everyday presence in East Asia will help us, as a media group serving its readers and advertisers, to identify and provide context to these decisions and trends.”

A business unit of GIE Media, Inc., the Recycling Today Media Group will celebrate 50 years of industry service in 2013. The group publishes Recycling Today, Recycling Today Global Edition, Construction & Demolition Recycling, Storage & Destruction Business, Renewable Energy from Waste and Waterways Today magazines, affiliated websites and e-newsletters. The group is the largest directory publisher serving the recycling industry and produces numerous industry events, including the C&D Recycling Forum.

// Association Activities

Hawaii Recycling Center Recognized by SWANA
The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) has awarded the Solid Waste Division of the County of Hawaii’s Dept. of Environmental Management (DEM) with the bronze award for its recently remodeled Pahoa Recycling & Transfer Station.

SWANA’s Excellence Awards Program recognizes solid waste programs and facilities that advance the practice of environmentally and economically sound solid waste management.

The newly remodeled Pahoa Recycling & Transfer Station opened in June 2011 after $3.9 million in renovations. It features solar power and a catchment water system, along with alcoves to accept various separated materials.

Terin Gloor, chief of the county’s solid waste division, says the design and construction of the Pahoa facility is a true partnership between the DEM, two Puna council representatives and the community.

“During project development one our primary considerations was, ‘How can the design influence the behavior of the community?’” Gloor says. “We wanted to make sure that the facility would motivate increased recycling, promote green construction and inspire civic pride. To accomplish these goals we built a facility that reflects our commitment to environmental stewardship.”

In addition to the design of the facility, recycled materials were used in its construction, including concrete from construction and demolition sites used in construction and landscaping. Recycled and shredded tires also were integrated into the landscape design, along with crushed, recycled glass. The facility also has been designed for modular expansion.

// Company News

Fire Crews Extinguish Blaze at WM Recycling Facility
The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFT) reported on its website that it fought a fire at a Waste Management recycling facility in Sun Valley, Calif., on Aug. 23. When firefighters arrived on the scene, they discovered a “deep-seated blaze” in a large pile of construction and demolition debris. Firefighters described the pile of burning debris as being the size of a football field.

More than 120 LAFD firefighters worked in rotating shifts to contain the blaze and extinguish the fire. LAFD reports that the fire was extinguished by that afternoon. One firefighter sustained a hand injury. No other injuries were reported. According to newspaper reports, Waste Management officials said a chemical reaction or “hot load” may have caused the fire. This is a result of improper disposal of household items.

// Demolition Project

USACE Awards Demo Contract to Watermark Environmental
The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) New England District has awarded a contract for slightly more than $2 million to Waterwark Environmental Inc., Lowell, Mass., to perform deconstruction and restoration services at the Ipswich antenna testing facility in Ipswich, Mass.

As part of the contract, Watermark is required to complete pre-work planning for various phases of the project prior to starting demolition on the property. Physical work at the site could start as early as this November; however, the contractor may elect to begin work next spring. The contract period is 13 months, which starts when the government issues the contractor a notice to proceed.

Work includes the complete deconstruction and restoration of an existing antenna testing facility. All on-site buildings, structures, site pavements and utilities will be removed and the site returned to a vegetated state. The site has been leased by the U.S. Air Force since the end of World War II and has served as an antenna test facility since that time. The project will be managed by the USACE and all work will be accomplished under the supervision of a Corps of Engineers Quality Assurance Representative to ensure compliance with contract requirements.

// Asphalt Shingles

GreenShingle Signs Deal with Owens Corning
GreenShingle has signed an agreement with Owens Corning Roofing and Asphalt, Toledo, Ohio, to collaborate in the recruitment of a national network of recycling sites to recycle asphalt shingles. GreenShingle says that the program will expand the number of sites that will take in and recycle asphalt shingles.

GreenShingle works with homeowners and contractors to help ensure that the shingles are properly disposed of in one of their strategically located certified recycle sites, making it easy for those who choose to participate. The recycled asphalt shingles are used as a petroleum and aggregate substitute in the manufacturing of hot mix asphalt used in road paving.

// Personnel Activity

SWANA Elects GBB VP to Waste-to-Energy Technical Division
The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) has elected Thomas Reardon, vice president of the consulting firm Gershman, Brickner & Bratton (GBB), Fairfax, Va., vice director of its Waste-to-Energy (WTE) Technical Division.

SWANA’s WTE Division’s purpose is to provide professionals with the information and contacts needed to improve plant operations, while encouraging innovation to enhance WTE’s role as a viable option for solid waste management and an expanded source for clean, reliable and renewable power.

As a vice director, Reardon is a member of both WTE division’s executive committee and steering committee. Reardon will advance into the position of division director (with approval of a majority of the Division Steering Committee) for a term of two years.

“I am honored and excited at the prospect of working closely with the division director in advancing and expanding the division’s program, and look forward to contribute toward achieving the division’s goal,” Reardon says.

Reardon has more than 27 years of experience in solid waste business management, project management, cost analysis, cost engineering and contract administration. Since joining GBB in 2009, he has been project manager for several confidential technology review projects, conducted and compiled detailed marketplace analysis reports for new product lines, assessed alternative waste-to-energy technologies, and assisted with their business development and planning.

// Company News

Cherry Wins Apex Award from AGC Chapter
Cherry, a company specializing in industrial demolition, dismantling, asset recovery and recycling, has won a 2012 APEX (Award for Project Excellence) Award from the Houston chapter of Associated General Contractors (AGC) during the recently held AGC bi-annual award ceremony.

AGC honored Cherry, based in Houston, for its safe and efficient deconstruction of 711 Polk, a 28-story former hotel in downtown Houston in 2011. Cherry used a slow, floor-by-floor deconstruction method to remove the high-rise without negatively impacting an immediately adjacent 35-story office building, an across-the-street hotel and cars and pedestrians on the streets below.

Project planning began in mid-November 2010. Work commenced in early January 2011 and the job was completed in September 2011 — on budget and within the time frame established by its owner, Brookfield, and Houston city officials.

“We’re most pleased that AGC is recognizing our work with one of the industry’s most prestigious awards,” says Mike Dokell, manager of Cherry’s Commercial, Interior and Residential Demolition Division. “The 711 Polk project presented a complex challenge. We could not use traditional deconstruction methods to take it down because it was located right next to a 35-story office building and across the street from the Hyatt Regency hotel. And, we needed to minimize our impact to pedestrians and cars in the streets below.

Cherry recycled nearly 99 percent of the building’s deconstruction debris, which included about 3,000 tons of carbon steel, 30,000 tons of concrete, 25 tons of aluminum and four tons of copper.

// Concrete and Aggregates

Kerr Contractors Acquires Kodiak Pacific’s Milling Division
Kerr Contractors Inc. (KCI), a regional heavy civil general contracting firm headquartered in Woodburn, Ore., has acquired the milling division of the Oregon-based company Kodiak Pacific. As a result, Kerr says its milling division will become the largest road milling company in Oregon, as well as one of the largest in the Pacific Northwest.

Paving contractors throughout Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Alaska use Kerr’s milling division for road surface recycling and soil stabilization work.

“This acquisition adds a number of road milling machines to our fleet and significantly increases our capacity,” says Brent Kerr, KCI’s founder and president. “In recent years, we’ve seen a much higher demand for milling and soil stabilization services, primarily due to the increased interest in recycling. This acquisition allows us to respond to new opportunities throughout the region without diminishing our ability to meet the needs of the paving contractors currently using us.”

Kerr’s projects include work on highways, airport runways and commercial development parking lots to smaller jobs such as site work preparation and stabilization.

// Mergers & Acquisitions

Waste Connections to Acquire R360 Environmental Solutions
Waste Connections Inc., The Woodlands, Texas, has entered into an agreement to acquire the business and operating subsidiaries of R360 Environmental Solutions Inc., Houston, for $1.3 billion. R360 provides non-hazardous oilfield waste treatment, recovery and disposal services in several active natural resource producing areas in the United States.

R360 operates 26 facilities across Louisiana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming and has annualized revenue of about $300 million. Closing is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of 2012.

“We are extremely pleased about the opportunity to bring R360 into the Waste Connections family,” says Ronald Mittelstaedt, Waste Connection’s chairman and CEO. “Through acquisitions and new facility development, R360 has created leading positions in key basins, providing closed loop oilfield waste services within an increasingly stringent regulatory environment. This acquisition represents a natural extension of our existing E&P disposal activities.”

Mittelstaedt continues, “While a tepid economy has impacted MSW (municipal solid waste) volumes, increased drilling activity in unconventional areas is fueling impressive organic growth within the E&P waste sector. R360 is actively permitting several new sites to further expand its operations in this growing industry.”

“For R360, this is a terrific opportunity that should enable us to grow more rapidly,” says Troy Thacker, R360’s CEO. “By combining our business and expertise with the scale, breadth and financial resources of Waste Connections, we will be able to enhance the environmental solutions we bring to our customers. Both companies value safety and protecting the environment as well as excellence and integrity in business practices.”

// Commodities

Steel Experiences Price Volatility
The moderator of the 2012 Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries Inc. (ISRI) Commodities Roundtable Forum ferrous scrap session to ask panelists what had caused the return of the roller coaster pricing into the ferrous scrap market in the summer of 2012.

The answer to the question, posed by moderator Frank Goulding of Newell Recycling of Atlanta LLC, East Point, Ga., was tied to the lower operating rates of steel mills in the United States by panelist Michelle Applebaum of MARI, Highland Park, Ill.

As mills adjust their production levels, Applebaum said, “I would estimate that for the next five to seven years, until mills start operating at a higher capacity,” ferrous scrap price volatility will be part of the picture.

To combat the volatility, many steel producers are turning to direct reduced iron (DRI) and other scrap supplements, and the timing may be right to do so, said Applebaum as the abundance of natural gas being produced in the eastern United States has lowered that cost of the feedstock significantly.

Mills concerned about a shortage of ferrous scrap may not need to worry too much, said panelist John Keyes, a district trading vice president with Tube City IMS, Glassport, Pa. “I’m amazed at the number of places scrap will come from over the years,” he commented, pointing to the demolition of steel mills, automotive plants and rail cars.

More recently, Keyes said he has seen scrap coming from the demolition of paper mills throughout North America and sugar mills in the Southern U.S. and the Caribbean region. “It’s a resilient market; when the scrap price makes it affordable, demolition follows,” he remarked.

The ISRI Commodities Roundtable Forum was Sept. 11-12 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.

// Green Building

Nevada Building Constructed Using Recycled Beer Bottles
Realm of Design recently completed construction on a 30,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Henderson, Nev., using architectural stone made from 100 percent recycled glass aggregate and 99.8 percent renewable materials from fly ash. Called GreenStone, the stone was developed by Realm of Design founder, Scott McCombs. Partnering with a Las Vegas recycling company, Realm of Design obtained and recycled beer bottles from hotels on the Las Vegas strip.

The Morrow Royal Pavilion is adjacent to Realm of Design’s existing showroom in Henderson, Nev. Construction of the building used more than 500,000 beer bottles which amounted to more than 290,000 pounds of recycled glass for the exterior building façade. Using the bottles in its GreenStone for the project saved more than 400,000 cubic yards of landfill space, the company says.

The design of the Morrow Royal Pavilion was inspired by the Swarkestone Hall Pavilion in England the location of a Rolling Stones photo shoot.

In effort to continue reducing the company’s carbon footprint, Realm of Design has LEED Green Associates on staff to assist customers who wish to build green as well. Realm of Design says its GreenStone can be used to replace standard concrete in buildings or smaller items such as fireplaces, mantles, gazebos, fountains, balustrades, columns and beams. The company also created a new patent-pending product where photos are engraved into a canvas of Greenstone.

More information on GreenStone and Realm of Design is available at www.realmofdesign.com.

// Legal Issues

Ohio C&D Landfill Closes Pending Sale
A Steubenville, Ohio, landfill agreed to temporarily close its operations during a court hearing on Aug. 10, according to local reports. C&D Disposal Technologies agreed to the closing during a court hearing in Jefferson County with the owner, Joe Scugoza.

According to the reports, Jefferson County Assistant Prosecutor, Emanuela Agresta, said signs will be posted at the entrance of the landfill declaring its closure. The landfill will still be allowed to accept masonry that can be used within 24 hours as well as metals.

The facility is accused of illegally dumping solid waste which has caused odor and leachate problems. Scugoza has agreed to work to eliminate the nuisances, say reports.

The agreement is for 90 days, and according to reports, there has not been a date set for a subsequent hearing. Sale of the facility to Delaware-based United Waste is pending and expected to take place within before the end of the year.

// Legislation & Regulations

Cook County Passes C&D Recycling Ordinance
The Cook County, Ill., Board of Commissioners recently passed an ordinance that targets the recycling of construction and demolition debris.

The Demolition Debris Diversion ordinance passed by the board requires demolition contractors working in suburban and unincorporated Cook County to recycle 70 percent of their debris for all demolition projects. Residential properties must show 5 percent is being diverted for reuse. Only sheds and garages are excluded.

The ordinance, which goes into effect Nov. 21, 2012, is part of Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle’s Sustainability Initiative, launched at the start of her administration with the goals of reducing energy consumption, decreasing pollution, and creating livable and sustainable communities. The new ordinance is aimed at moving the county closer to achieving the zero waste goal set forth in the board-approved Solid Waste Plan Update.

“Recycling demolition is another important step toward building a greener Cook County,” Preckwinkle says. “The benefits go beyond positive environmental impacts. This also creates jobs, stabilizes local economies and creates materials for construction, renovation and infrastructure building.”

Debra Stone, director of Cook County’s Department of Environmental Control, notes that recycling five percent of the demolition debris from about 30 houses could support at least one new retail center, with up to five jobs and 30 full-time deconstruction workers. The ordinance is directly enforceable since Environmental Control issues demolition permits for all buildings within suburban Cook County.

The City of Chicago already requires the recycling of demolition materials. And, while contractors at present salvage a significant percentage of materials from demolition sites, the reuse requirement is groundbreaking in the region.

Reusing materials reduces the demand for new products made from virgin materials and saves 95 percent of the “stored energy” that already went into manufacturing the product, according to Stone.

“There’s been a significant market growth for deconstructed materials,” Stone says. “We know that greater public awareness will make reuse become more mainstream, as building owners learn of options.”

// Association Activities

In Memoriam: Ron Dokell
Ron Dokell, a Houston-based demolition contractor who was one of nine charter members of the National Association of Demolition Contractors (now the National Demolition Association or NDA), died in early September in Houston.

Current NDA executive director Mike Taylor describes Dokell as “one of the first contractors to realize that there was a need for an organization to represent demolition contractors in the United States and Canada,” adding, he worked diligently to develop an association to meet the needs of everyone involved in the demolition process.”

According to Dokell’s obituary in on the Houston Chronicle website, Dokell began working for his uncle’s Houston lumber company in 1957 and eventually assumed management of the company along with his cousin Richard.

The obituary says, “During their 40-year partnership, Ron and Richard bought the company and broadened it into Olshan Enterprises adding foundation repair, waste disposal and commercial and industrial demolition,”

As manager of the demolition side of the business, Ron “grew [Olshan Enterprises] into one of the largest in its field with projects both domestic and international, including the demolition of the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas and the Shamrock Hotel in Houston,” according to the Chronicle obituary.

He is survived by his wife of 16 years Julie Tips Dokell and by his children: Mike Dokell and wife Susan; David Dokell and wife Carmen; and Elizabeth Segall and husband Mark; and his seven grandchildren Jordon, Max, Jack, Lauren, Isabella, Arin and Ben.

The family is requesting that donations be made to or to the donor’s favorite charity or to the Houston Zoo, where Ron spent a good deal of time during his later years.

// Highways and Roads

Rubberized Asphalt Foundation Develops Online Library
The Rubberized Asphalt Foundation (RAF), Chevy Chase, Md., a research foundation dedicated to the science and practical use of recycled tire rubber in asphalt pavements, is developing a comprehensive online clearinghouse for rubberized asphalt research and documentation. As the library evolves, RAF will expand the archive to include white papers, specifications, research studies and industry news. In addition to original research, the foundation is soliciting material from academics and industry experts whose work includes the study of rubberized asphalt materials and processes.

“A large amount of information already exists but is languishing without an organized, centralized archive,” George Way, RAF chairman, says. “Creating an online library ensures universal access to vital data and will serve to increase our collective knowledge of rubberized asphalt.”

RAF is gathering project profiles, studies, specifications and other data that is valuable to professionals exploring and/or deciding on the use of recycled rubber in asphalt pavements. The foundation’s searchable online database is catalogued for usability, and updated with the latest developments in rubberized asphalt technologies and processes.

Additionally, RAF is working to examine and validate current and emerging technologies that provide engineering solutions to pavement engineers and project owners.

Those interested in being considered for inclusion in RAF’s online library are asked to contact Professor Walaa Mogawer at editor@ra-foundation.org. Submissions for consideration elsewhere on RAF’s website may be sent to Elizabeth Dempsey Becker at ebecker@ra-foundation.org. More information is available at www.ra-foundation.org.

// Personnel Activity

Progressive Waste Solutions Names New CFO
The solid waste firm Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd. (PWS), Vaughan, Ontario, Canada, has announced that Ian Kidson has joined the company as vice president and CFO. He succeeds Thomas Cowee, who will remain with the company through the fourth quarter of 2012 to facilitate the transition.

Joseph Quarin, vice chairman and CEO of PWS, says, “Tom brought a high level of industry knowledge and experience to his financial leadership role at Progressive Waste Solutions, and we appreciate all of the significant contributions he has made to our success over the past several years.”

He continues, “For personal reasons, Tom has advised me that he would like to pursue other opportunities closer to his home in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas-area. He will stay with us to support Ian and our entire organization through the balance of this year and I am confident that it will be a seamless transition.”

Kidson has more than 25 years of financial industry experience, including more than 15 years in private equity.

// Association Activities

National Demolition Association Online Training System Offers More Than 2,000 Courses
The National Demolition Association’s (NDA) Online Training System offers more than 2,000 eLearning courses that meet the specialized needs of the construction industry. NDA’s Online Training, powered by Portico Learning Solutions, is available to both NDA members and the industry at large. The NDA’s Online Training portal is in NDA Learning Center on the association website. More information on the NDA and its Online Training system is available at www.demolitionassociation.com for more information or by calling 800-541-2412.